Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

[jdanner723]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

When I was about 6 or 7 my dad took me to Gettysburg for my first trip. Even though we're only 15 minutes or so from the battlefield I remember thinking that the trip took forever. That was my first taste.

When I got into 5th grade we studied the war and took another trip to Gettysburg. That did the trick. I instantly fell in love and began visiting the fields as often as I could. As soon as I got my car I went up nearly every weekend to photograph the monuments and the landscapes learning as much as I could along the way.

I have to say this is a great idea for a thread topic. You really get to learn about what makes the war so intriguing to fellow reenactors.

-Joey

[bhutton]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My interest began when I was 9 or 10, The mother of two of the kids I went to school with who lived a few houses away had a book 'The American Heritage Picture History Of The Civil War, I looked at the pictures especially of 'the dead' and I was hooked. I went to that house that summer everyday and sat on Mrs '' stoop and looked at her book. Finally my parents gave me the book for Christmas that year. I saw the movie 'The Horse Soldiers' and went to the library and was reading all of Bruce Catton's books and setting up battles in the sand box with my 'Marx Civil War Soldier Set'. Since then the Civil War has been my passion.Been contributing to Preservation , but I never really got into living history till 5 years ago,I had met a few reenactors while on one of our yearly Gettysburg Seminars and finally became hooked and now am as passionate about that as I am with everything else connected with the ACW.

[Mcguire]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

Spending my early childhood in this house probably got things going...

My parents had a thing for old brick farmhouses. This one dates to the 1830's. .

I also appreciate old houses and this is a fine example. Where is it located? What aspect of the house do you recall most vividly from your chilhood?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I also appreciate old houses and this is a fine example. Where is it located? What aspect of the house do you recall most vividly from your chilhood?

It is in Crawfordsville, Indiana and is currently for sale, if anyone is interested in owning the ol' Wickett Homestead! :wink_smil It is on State Road 47, near the new high school (known to the younger generation as "the" high school).

Many things stick out...
There is a "summer kitchen" in the back yard. It is a small, one-room brick building. One wall is gone and there is a brick fireplace with some pretty substantial/complex brickwork. When I was a kid, we gathered our own maple sap from the trees on the property and made syrup using that hearth.

My mother tells me that, when they first purchased the property in the early 70's (just after I was born), the grandson of one of the former owners (who, at that time was an old man) said that there used to be a series of these "Summer Kitchens". According to this old fellow, as told by my mother, these were not "Summer Kitchens", but slave quarters. Yeah, I know, its Indiana... However, my mother says that, according to this old gent, slaves were kept in the area. As the story goes, there was some sort of "wink and nod understanding" with local government. Perhaps a 19th Century "don't ask; don't tell". I have no idea of the validity of this story.

My folks were the first ones to restore the old place. My grandmother gave my parents a concrete floor for the basement (to replace the dirt floor) as a housewarming gift. An old bottle of J. Hostetter's Stomach Bitters was found during the restoration, including part of the paper label. I grabbed it off of a garage sale table in the 1980's... I wanted it and I didn't want to see it sold for 50-cents!

The walls of that place are thicker than hell! I remember being in the house during some pretty terrible storms... never felt unsafe! I toured it recently during an openhouse by the realtor. It is an amazing place. Windows are still original, though my dad reglazed them all more than 30 years ago. Doors are mostly still with original hardware.

The house has a very large dining room. My folks used to host church groups and have other large dinner parties. They had an antique oak table and could easily seat 20 or more around it.

There were a total of three houses built by the same builder in the county. Another, I think closer to waveland, was the home to a family named Miller during my childhood. It was sold and became a B&B. Sometime in the last 10 or so years, it burned down. I cannot recall where the third house is. There is a similar-style/era house halfway between Linden and New Richmond. I am not sure if it is a 4th house the same builder, or just a similar design.

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My interest began early in 1961 while in 1st grade and all the hoopla for the Centennial was in full whoop.

I sent in my snow shoveling wages and some birthday cash to Gen. Eisenhower to "buy" a couple square feet of the Gettysburg battlefield. I made a scrapbook of clippings related to the Civil War (and my mother STILL sends me articles related to preservation, reenactments and so forth -- guess her little boy never really will grow up!).

TV in those days was mostly no-gore, so as an impressionable youth I observed troops happily marching, flags snapping in the breeze and that, even with the roar of musketry and cannonade, the soldiers in the TV shows seldom died a bloody death or even seemed to suffer much.

Imagine my surprise when as a charter member of the "new" Civil War Times Illustrated the edition on the battle of GBurg showed medical photos of the effects of warfare! It tempered my enthusiasm for a time but only by a mite.

Disney's "Johnny Shiloh" and the TV series "Johnny Yuma: The Rebel" were extremely popular with me. Although growing up in Nebraska (where only a few hundred Confederates versus about 19,000 Union men are buried) at first I gravitated toward wearing the gray. (Rebel kepi from the county fair, jean jacket and light gray jeans, and Wellington style boots were my "play time" uniform through much of the year.)

Birthdays and Christmas gifts included WBTS themed gifts. Attached is a toy (one of MANY) that I grew up with and almost 50 years later sits on my desk at work.

My tastes have evolved, but my current enthusiasm can definitely be linked all the way back to those early patriotic TV shows and movies.

See you on the field,
Paul Won't Act His Age Hadley

[rebelfirefighter07]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I've been eat up with all things Civil War for as long as I can remeber. I grew up my my dad talking about the War and taking me to Chickamauga Battlefield which is just down the road. My grandmother is big into geneology and has been talking around me about Confederate Ancestors all my life. I live in Tunnel Hill, Ga so I'm surrounded by Civil War Era homes and a Historic tunnel. I've been surrounded by the Civil War since birth.

[Roy Queen]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My interest began when I was in grade school. Being that both Mom and Dad are interested in history, they encouraged my interest in learning more about the Civil War. They told me about ancestors that served in the war, took me to Chickamauga and Kennesaw Mountain Battlefields, and encouraged me to pursue learning more about the CW.

I recall that when my father was attending the police academy that was held in the Kennesaw vicinity, he brought home for me a Georgia State seal uniform button that he had bought for me from a local relic shop dealer in the area. That button means more to me than any of the other artifacts in my collection.

Just this evening, I was excited to tell my father about finding out about another ancestor that served in the 12th TN Cavalry US that we had no idea that was a CW veteran.

Roy Queen

[rkg]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My interest began somewhere between 1st and 2nd grade. My family would spend all summer vacations with my grandparents in SE Missouri. My grandfather had a large picture on the wall, made sometime in the late 1860's/early 1870's I would think. The man had long hair and a mustache, and I just had to know who this man was. It turned out it was grandfather's dad. A kid that age always needs to know more, so my grandfather spent the next twelve years, give or take a little, telling me every story he could remember from his youth. His father was a Civil War vet, joining the Confederate cav with his father, uncle and two cousins. He was somewhere between 14 to 15 when he joined. My grandfather is 100% responsible in his influence over my subsequent 40+ years love/obsession of American and Civil War history. So as long as I live, my grandfather's memories, and my great grandfather's memories will live on with me. Thanks for asking this question, it made me think about being a kid in my grandpa's house this morning, I'd give a thousand dollars if I could have just one more morning setting with him by his old wood stove and be ten years old again.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I was too young to witness any of the Centennial events, but my grandparents took me to just about every CW battlefield in the state of VA (so it seemed anyway) in the late 60s and 70s. I owe a lot to them. Civil War history books were also a staple present every Christmas.

My wife recently found an old photo from the late 60s of me wearing one of those little cheap felt kepis- you know the ones- at Stone Mountain, GA. It was gray, of course. "Blackmail material" she calls it.

I was an NSSA "groupie" of the Guilford Grays, 27th NCT briefly in the 80s after college but never thought much about reenacting or LH until atfer seeing the first reenactment of Cedar Creek and 125th Appomattox events. My first pair of CS trowsers were those so- called butternut Jarnagins. Fortunately no "blackmail photos" of those exist, as far as I know.....

This is a great thread. I'm enjoying hearing how everybody else "got into" the hobby. Thanks!

Rich Croxton

[Abrams]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My dad planted a seed when I was just 8-10 years old. (I'll be 50 in June.) He had an interest in the Civil War, and took the family out East for a look at Washington DC and any nearby battlefields. I remember doing the driving tours at Gettysburg and Sharpsburg. The Park Service would rent/loan us a cassette tape player, and you would listen to the tape, pause it at a beep, and drive to the next marked post to re-start and listen to what happenned there. In the back seat, my brother and I were reading comic books instead of paying attention to the tapes. It drove dad nuts.

But it planted a seed. It was not many years later, I started to the read books by Bruce Catton, Ambrose Bierce and other books dad had purchased on the trip. But the little shrub was overshadowed by high school, football, girls and such. White water canoing, building and modding computers, a family business, all contributed to shading my little civil war shrubbery. I continued a love of history in general, and the American civil war through high school and beyond, but just reading and watching PBS and other movies or specials.

Then I saw the movie Gettysburg, and bought the DVD and watched the extras on the disc. They interviewed many of the re-enactors/living historians that helped in making the movie. The little shrub came bursting out, and I decided I want to take to the field. Fourty Eight years old, and over-weight, but dammit the little shrub burst up and over my other hobbies and past times.

Knowing nothing, I set off for Shiloh (the closest 'major' battle to where I live) and to visit a place I found online called Jarnigans in nearby Corinth MS. David was amused by my enthusiasm, and lack of knowledge of the world of re-enacting. He asked me what "mess" I was a part of. I said, "Mess?" He then informed me as to what that meant, and why it was important. Then he asked "Easter or Western theater?" I had not actually thought about it much, but I guessed Western, since I lived in Illinois, and would likely have been one of Grant's boys if I had lived back then. I settled for buying a few tin items, and a pair of sky-blue wool pants, and decided to look into the rest more carefully. So I owe David Jarnigan a big thanks. He could have loaded me up with all he could supply, regardless of my needs, but he did not. He steered me to more research and the concept of creating an "impression" and not just a "costume."

Then I had the luck to fall in with the New Madrid Guards, who steered me to the best places for the various gear I needed. I am still in the process of getting good gear. It takes a while, and finding my size is a challenge. Wish I had started this at 20 years old, and a hundred pounds ago, but I thank all those that have made me feel welcome in this unique hobby, and help me to participate.

Because of the age and weight, I am now working my way into some civilian roles. Civilians are needed for background flavor too at many events, and my physical impression may be more suited to that.

Wow, sorry about the novel. In a nutshell: Dad planted the seed taking me as a child to Gettysburg and Sharpsburg. Grandma fed me history books. The movie Gettysburg got me to actually get off my butt and do something.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

Ron, I remember doing the Gettysburg "tape tour" thing in the summer of 1976. We may have been the only people in the park that day too. Everybody else seems to have been in Williamsburg or Philadelphia.

One of the guides referred us to a neat book called "The Killer Angels", which he said was written by a professor of his, and which Dad reluctantly purchased at the Visitor's Center bookstore....

Great memories.

Rich Croxton

[Dbackfed]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

Went Gettysburg in kindergarden or 1st grade and didn't care much. My mom and brother (who liked WW2 growing up) read the book Ghost Cadet and encouraged me to do the same. Fast forward several years, my brother and I were obsessed with the Civil War, and we began putting out kits together.

[Marylander in Grey]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My dad got it started he was into the Civil War round table scene. I would have to say what made it a passion though was a middle school history teacher. I had to do a presentation of a book to a younger grade as a punishment. The teacher picked the book Red Badge of Courage, I went to see the history teacher who was a reenactor, he lent me some uniforms and that was that.
I didnt know how to get into a unit and I was to young to take the field, but I was ready to enlist right then and there.
When I was old enough I joined a group portraying the AWI and I havent looked back. That was in 1984.

[LindaTrent]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I was indoctrinated into history from a very early age. My father was determined that we'd not go to Europe until he'd shown us all the history the U.S. had to offer. Hmm... now I'm wondering if there was more to that statement than I first thought. I have pictures of me when I was 3 months old at the Alamo. Other pictures show that I was at Fort Ticonderoga, the original pony express station in Gothenburg, NE, on the North Bridge at Concord, and so many other places that I can't name them all. I remember going to some CW battlefields, but I wasn't really all that into the fields themselves. I just didn't get the attraction back then. By the time all was said and done my father had taken me to all but 13 states.

When I was about 12 years old a group of reenactors came to my hometown and put on an event at the old mill. It was the Battle of Shiloh. Well... it was pretty far from the greatest thing since sliced bread -- two or three cavalry horses plus a foal, and and handful of infantry. I remember my father joking about the horse trailer in camp. :-) I also remember asking if it was common for foals to be taken into the field amidst the fighting. The trooper replied that it wasn't, but it's a good way to train foals to gunfire because they'd never stray too far from Mamma. So as you can see I've had years of experience asking for documentation. :sarcastic After growing up and having a broodmare I doubt very many soldiers were even riding mares in their last quarter.

The final straw that pushed me into the hobby was attending the old Mill festival one year. There were ladies connected with the LGAR and they were all decked out in their finery. I wanted to do something like them, only I wanted something to actually *do* at events besides sit around and look pretty. I started reading up about the northern homefront and found out what kind of roles ladies could do and well... here I am. I did gain an interest in tracing my family back to the CW and found I have a great grandfather and four great great grandfathers who fought all for the Union. I swore I'd never portray a southerner and to be honest -- I can't remember the last time I portrayed a Northerner. :cry_smile.

Linda

["Doc" Nelson]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

Hmmm . . well, for me, it was the mid-1980's. I was a Military Police Explorer out at Fort Monroe, Virginia . . and, I had visited the Casemate Museum on base quite a lot. An interest in that turbulent period grew.

I talked with the staff there at the museum about being a costumed interpreter. Well, they pointed me in the direction of the Virginia War Memorial Museum, in Newport News, Virginia. From there, I made contact with a couple of units (a yankee cav unit and, a reb infantry unit). Well, I ended up falling in with the 1st Virginia Regulars, Co. B, CSA in 1989 at the tender age of 17 ;) . From there, we switched our unit's identity to portray a volunteer regiment and, it remained that way until I moved to Kentucky.

After moving here, I knew I couldn't stay out of the hobby long. So, I fell in with a yankee unit. And, it was after I moved to Kentucky, I finally found out who my ancestor (s) were during the War. I traced my lineage back to my GGG Grandfather and, his brothers. All of them served in the Confederate Army (in one unit or another . . most serving in Georgia Regiments, with one serving in a North Carolina Regiment). After finding out that my GGG Grandfather was a Surgeon, I thought it would be interesting to portray that aspect, to gain a better understanding of what he may have faced. And so here I am . . 20 years later :D .